Gator Classic: Foothill girls win twice on first day of tourney

The Foothill girls basketball team opened the Gator Winter Classic with a 61-32 win over Silverado in the morning and finished its first day of pool play with a 55-29 victory over Boulder City in the afternoon.

Foothill's Ryan Jenkins (14) looks looks at the basket before taking a shot against Boulder City in the girl's basketball game at Green Valley High School in Henderson, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Foothill's Aubrey Stahl (5) looks for an open play against Boulder City's Madison Manns (10) in the girl's basketball game at Green Valley High School in Henderson, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Boulder City's Keely Alexander (14) dribbles the ball up the court as she is pressured by Foothill's Aqui Williams (2) in the girl's basketball game at Green Valley High School in Henderson, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. Erik Verduzco Las Vegas Review-Journal @Erik_Verduzco

Foothill girls basketball coach Laura Allen is looking for signs of improvement before her team begins league play next week.

She saw plenty of them Wednesday.

The Falcons opened the Gator Winter Classic with a 61-32 win over Silverado in the morning and finished their first day of pool play with a 55-29 victory over Boulder City in the afternoon.

Foothill (10-3) can clinch a berth in the tournament’s diamond bracket with a win Thursday over Dimond (Alaska). Bracket play begins Friday and concludes Saturday.

“We’re really trying to focus on overall team effort, everybody getting involved, moving the ball on offense,” Allen said. “We still have some work to do on our offense, but we played pretty good.”

The Falcons are playing their second tournament in two weeks after a strong showing at Centennial’s Las Vegas Holiday Classic, at which they went 2-2 and played four competitive games.

Allen said playing last week helped prepare the players for the Gator Winter Classic. The results certainly supported that assessment.

Foothill blitzed Silverado in the first half en route to a decisive victory, then followed that same formula against Boulder City (5-5). The Falcons employed an up-tempo style and were cohesive in their halfcourt defense to limit the Eagles’ scoring opportunities.